Quick-thinking staff called an ambulance as the toddler’s family frantically tried to get the piece of nugget out - but it was stuck fast.

It was at that point that an AA driver who was in the queue lived up to the firm’s billing as ‘the fourth emergency service’ as he rushed to Thomas’s aid.

Joanne said: “I was moving to my new home in Bromborough and my mum and dad took the baby out to McDonald’s as a treat.

“Thomas was a bit excited, they had cut the nuggets up into small pieces but he choked on a tiny little piece.

Fast food: A nugget became lodged in his throat (Image: Getty)

“Mum and dad tried to get it out but it was going further down his throat.

“They started to panic but the staff were fantastic, my mum started having a panic attack and they moved my mum and dad to the back, reassured them an ambulance was on the way and tried to help get it out.

"Thomas had been struggling for at least two minutes, he was properly choking and couldn’t breathe.

“But then an AA driver in the queue ran over and did the Heimlich maneuver and it just popped out of his throat.

"He literally saved my boy’s life.”

Ambulance crews arrived at the scene soon afterwards and took Thomas to hospital to be checked over, but he was able to go home a short time later.

In all the commotion, the youngster’s family didn’t manage to get the name or number of the AA driver and Joanne is now keen to let him know how grateful they are.

The 29-year-old mum-of-one said: “I just want to get a thank you to him.

“He wanted our number so we could let him know Thomas was okay, but once the ambulance got there and were dealing with Thomas everyone was a bit distracted and it didn’t happen.

“He was a true hero, he came and helped and saved my boy’s life. I’ll be forever grateful to that wonderful man.

“I also want to thank the McDonald’s staff who were fantastic.

“Thomas is full-speed, he’s a bubbly little handful. Ten minutes later he was laughing and playing, he was fine other than a bit of a sore throat.

“It was such a relief to get him home and give him a big squeeze but he didn’t know what all the fuss was about!

“I dread to think what would’ve happened if that man hadn’t got the nugget out.”

The North West Ambulance Service confirmed they had been called to the McDonald’s outlet at 3.16pm on Saturday to reports of a patient choking.

The spokesman said: “An ambulance arrived on scene at 3.24pm and took the patient to Arrowe Park hospital.”

A McDonald’s spokesman said: “We can confirm that on Saturday last, a child began choking in our Upton restaurant.

“A member of our restaurant team, trained in first aid, administered assistance to the child and an ambulance team was called. The child was taken to hospital to be checked.

“We are very pleased to hear that the child has made a full recovery.”